Giulia Pagano and Jane Gray Sullivan

Actor Role Giulia Pagano* Lottie Kamel Shirley Sarlin* Cass Kamel Jane Gray Sullivan Maggie Kamel Hassan Brock Koonce Charles Gilliard Kimberly Esposito Mama Mamie *Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

Mama Mamie's Departure

By James Rasheed
Directed by Betsy Bisson

October 12-28, 2006


Centre Stage-South Carolina is proud to present the world premiere of Mama Mamie’s Departure, a sassy new comedy by local playwright James Rasheed, author of last season’s hit Professional Skepticism.

The setting is the family home of Mama Mamie Kamel on an island off Charleston, SC.  On the solemn occasion of her death, Mamie’s two elderly daughters and daughter-in-law have come together to prepare for her funeral.  And like most ‘close’ Southern families, the gloves are off before the hankies are dry.  We soon find out these aren’t your golden girls … and when that nice young man from the funeral home shows up … well, Mama Mamie might not be going anywhere.  Don’t miss this side-splitting season opener, sure to deliver a laugh riot that is far from over-the-hill.

Guest director Betsy Bisson makes her Centre Stage debut, and we are thrilled to have her at the helm for Mama Mamie.  A professional actress and director, Ms. Bisson is currently YouTheatre Director for Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of NC.  Throughout her extensive career, she has directed over 100 shows, and has become acquainted with the Upstate through the SC Children’s Theatre, where she has directed numerous productions during the past four seasons.  Ms. Bisson has assembled an all-star cast of Upstate favorites: Shirley Sarlin, last seen here at Centre Stage in the hit comedy The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, and perhaps best known for her portrayal of Grace in The Warehouse Theatre’s production of Grace and Glorie;Jane Gray Sullivan, a familiar face at Electric City Playhouse in Anderson whose last appearance at Centre Stage was, ironically, in the comedy, Dearly Departed; and Brock Koonce, as the hapless emissary from the funeral home, who was just seen as Brick in the highly successful Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at The Warehouse Theatre.  Making her upstate stage debut is veteran Broadway actress Giulia Pagano, who has also appeared in numerous film and television productions.

Playwright James Rasheed is no stranger to Centre Stage.  His irreverent wit, coupled with frighteningly realistic character work and a penchant for the absurd, has made this award-winning playwright an audience favorite in the Upstate and a successful playwright nationally.  Mr. Rasheed’s last play Professional Skepticism (published in New Playwrights-The Best Plays of 2002) enjoyed great success as part of our 2005-2006 season, and continues to be produced all over the country.  Originally from Pawley’s Island, Mr. Rasheed writes what he knows, reinventing his own experiences for the theatre.  Mama Mamie’s Departure is drawn from Mr. Rasheed’s childhood interactions with the strong matriarchal figures of his traditional and hysterically funny Southern family.